FiveHundredDucksWentOutOneDay ·
18/09/2024 10:48
The major kitchen company involved have asked me, and there's a big difference between what me and DH think.
In short...
We planned the kitchen in January in-store, which was a great process.
Payment was awful. They insist on online payment and sent us links, which we paid, but then deluged us in 18 more links. We talked to them and they said it was an error - but then as the 18 extras were not paid, the order was cancelled. It took 2 days to sort out again.
Two weeks before fitting was due to begin, we were told the gas work that was supposed to be covered could no longer be done, and we'd need to find our own engineer at our own cost before fitting could begin. We did, and the engineer discovered the placement of the boiler, sink and hob were non-compliant. We had to drive 90 minutes to a different store for an urgent re-design, which meant the hob we'd bought privately didn't fit, and we lost two cupboards worth of space.
The dishwasher they sold us was out-of-stock, constantly. Eventually a member of staff told us it would not be available and the only one they had in a similar size was a lot less efficient. Swapping out the dishwasher removed our "4 for 3" appliance offer, which has still not been fixed.
Five days before installation, we were asked to send photos to confirm our old kitchen had been fully removed in order for installation to go ahead, which is not fun with a toddler!
Three days before installation, most of the kitchen arrived, but the dishwasher and worktops did not. Customer Services then told us that none of the worktops or island had ever been ordered, despite us paying them. We lost DAYS to calling them to try and sort this out.
The fitters found several items missing, including whole drawers, hinges and doors. Temporary worktops were sourced, but we were not sent enough for the island to be constructed fully, and the fitters were not sure it was safe without worktops, so we were left with an unusable kitchen (which is open-plan in our downstairs, and again really difficult with a toddler!). Then then sent us 30 random kitchen items, none of them the missing ones, which we've had to store since May, which has basically filled the basement.
On the last day of fitting, the new worktops were due, and didn't arrive. The fitters left as they had nothing else to do, but had forgotten to secure the oven into the casing, which fell and hit my foot. I was not seriously injured, but amidst all the stress from the fitting, I had a miscarriage. I can't prove this was because of the kitchen, but I do have a note from EPU with it as the 'suspected cause', due to stress. I'm heartbroken about it regardless.
We've since had three sets of new worktops delivered, all of which have taken at least a month to arrive, and none of which are right. We've finally had the correct colour arrive, but it's not double-sided, so it'll look rubbish on the overhanging part of the island. They've also not sent new worktops for the side, which the fitter expected, so he hasn't fitted the existing ones well - but it is passable.
The final bit should be fitted next week, which will then hopefully finish the kitchen. It should have been completed in the first week of May.
I'm self-employed and lost 8 days of work to trying to sort out all the errors. It's been really stressful, and required constant phone calls and chasing. Promised manager call-backs never come, and nobody seems to read the same notes.
The customer services manager has promised that they'll review the complaint once the kitchen is finalised. I don't hold out much hope - she keeps referring to my miscarriage with smiley face emojis in the same sentence - but what would you be looking for?
I'd quite like them to take it all out, to be honest, but I appreciate that's an emotional response and not a logical one.